Wife among four in court over businessman’s brutal murder

The wife of a prominent Nakuru businessman recently killed in unclear circumstances was among four people arraigned in court yesterday over his death.

Julius Kimani Mathu is said to have been accosted and abducted by armed people on December 1 last year outside his gate at 12.20am in Kiratina Estate.

The mutilated body of the 37-year-old Kimani would later be found in a pool of blood at a local cemetery.

And yesterday, the businessman’s wife Gladys Wambui Mwangi, Rahab Mukenyi, Alex Muhonja and James Mwaura appeared in court over Kimani’s death but did not take a plea after the prosecution asked for more time to conclude investigations.

Investigating officer

The investigating officer asked Principal Magistrate Bernard Mararo for 14 more days, which were granted.

The officer said they needed to hold the suspects for two more weeks to conclude investigations before they could answer to murder charges.

Defence lawyers Ochan Ajigo and Wambeyi Makomere did not object to the application.

“The State is seeking 14 days to continue investigations and we have no objection. We have agreed to allow the investigating officer to conclude investigations. We ask the court to allow the officer to go on with investigations,” Makomere told court.

The lawyer said the matter would be placed before court on January 17 for plea taking.

Lawyer Wahome Thuku, for Kimani’s family, said the deceased was entering his compound when he was accosted by unknown people who bundled him into their car and sped off.

Kimani’s brother, Samuel Mwangi, said: “My brother was stopped by criminals who killed him and dumped his body by the roadside after kidnapping him outside his compound.”

He added: “His car was found outside his compound with one door open. Loud music was also playing.”

That is when the family, with the help of officers from Bondeni Police Station, began looking for Kimani. They found his body around 8am in Manyani Estate, about 15 kilometres from his home.

The businessman’s body was tied with ropes and had deep injuries on the head, chest, legs and hands.

Kimani’s phone was traced to Mogus and later near Nakuru South Cemetery and his body found in a thicket in Manyani.

Excessive bleeding

A postmortem report showed the businessman was hit on the head with a blunt object that caused excessive bleeding and blood clots that led to his death.

The trader’s father, James Mathu said his son and Wambui had lived together for ten years before a row erupted. They have three children, aged ten and twins aged two.

Kimani separated with his first wife before marrying Wambui. At the time of their separation, the businessman and his first wife had one child.

Mathew said before his son’s death, second born in a family of seven, Wambui had left for her home in Eldoret after a conflict with her husband. She returned a week later.

Investigations revealed Wambui and her co-accused were in constant communication before Kimani was killed.

The family said the suspects had demanded Sh8 million in ransom before they discontinued communication.

Wambui is accused of paying her co-accused Sh1.2 million to eliminate her husband.